X-Men: Apocalypse review round-up: A chorus of 'meh' (but not as bad as Batman v Superman)

It's no Batman v Superman but it's also no Civil War, according to the critics

With the sixth X-Men installment (not including Hugh Jackman's two standalone Wolverine films) on the cusp of release, the critic's verdicts have landed - and they're as mixed as can be.

Despite a few positive reactions, the overwhelming sense is that X-Men: Apocalypse fails to live up to its praised predecessor Days of Future Past.

Many critics naturally held Bryan Singer's film up to the recent releases Batman v Superman and Captain America: Civil War - like X-Men, another Marvel property - with the consensus seeming to be it has more in common with the latter without being as terrible.

Chris Nashawaty at Entertainment Weekly branded Apocalypse "a third-tier X-Men movie' while The Telegraph's Tim Robey suggested it might be "the end of the line" for fans of the mutant franchise with the film "better than Batman v Superman, but not by an awful lot."

Empire's Helen O'Hara described the film as 'leaden' saying the more it references previous X-Men films, "...the more you’ll wish you were watching those instead."

More positive was The Independent's Geoffrey Macnab who said it's "very rousing fare" even if it leaves "...a mind-boggling number of loose ends."

It should be said, however, that even in the negative reviews, Evan Peters' depiction of Nightcrawler was cited as the film's crowning glory.

The Independent - Geoffrey Macnab - 4/5

Director Bryan Singer is a past master at mixing hokum with highbrow elements - in combing scenes of cosmic destruction with scenes in which characters manage to save themselves by the simple, old-fashioned expedient of hiding behind a wall. X-Men Apocalypse is very rousing fare even if it does leave a mind-boggling number of loose ends and unanswered questions.

Digital Spy - Hugh Armitage - 4/5

X-Men: Apocalypse can't reach the levels of maturity and sophistication of Civil War, but it has a messy charm all of its own, and maintains the quality set by the post-Last Stand films. With a new team of young X-Men standing by, the future's still looking bright for the franchise.

The Guardian - Peter Bradshaw - 3/5

...this film certainly provides bangs for your buck, although there is less space for the surreal strangeness of the X-Men to breathe, less dialogue interest, and they do not have the looser, wittier joy of the Avengers. But the more playful episodes with Cyclops and Quicksilver are welcome and everything hangs together.

The Telegraph - Tim Robey - 2/5

Better than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but not by an awful lot, and vastly less entertaining than Marvel’s current Captain America smash, it’s also curiously more sadistic, and seemingly less bothered about large-scale human fallout, than this once-spirited series used to be. Apocalypse isn’t quite the end of the world for X-Men fans, but it might be the end of the line.

Empire - Helen O'Hara - 2/5

Compared to the energetic, bold Days Of Future Past, it all seems so leaden... Aside from a few moments with Nightcrawler - in his achingly perfect Thriller jacket and Flock Of Seagulls hair - there’s no levity here, no tonal variation. The more the film harks back to other X-instalments, the more you’ll wish you were watching those instead.

Variety - Geoff Berkshire

Although the X-Men ensembles are usually large, there are simply too many characters for the action-heavy Apocalypse to properly juggle. It’s easy to forget even McAvoy or Fassbender when they’re off screen for too long, and the film functions best when it lets the fresh young trio of Sheridan, Turner and Smit-McPhee take center stage. Still, it’s Peters who emerges as the cast standout in just a handful of scenes...

The Hollywood Reporter - Todd McCarthy

Despite the undeniable presence of a huge amount of action, X-Men: Apocalypse is decidedly a case of more is less, especially when compared with the surprising action and more interesting personal interactions (including the temporary subtraction of some characters) in other big Marvel franchises.

Entertainment Weekly - Chris Nashawaty

...all in all, Apocalypse is a third-tier X-Men movie that arrives at a time when studios and filmmakers who traffic in spandex need to be at the top of their game. We know all of the clichés and all of the tropes too well at this point to settle for place-holding mediocrity. We know the difference between an instant classic and a dog. Apocalypse isn’t quite a dog. But it is a movie with way too much of everything except the things that should matter the most - novelty, creativity, and fun.

Time Out - Tom Huddleston - 2/5

There are no surprises or switcheroos here, just a seen-it-before world domination plot carried out by a petulant Pharaoh with a head like a chewed pencil, and resisted by a bunch of interchangeable, Lycra-clad goody-goodies whose names and superpowers you’ll quickly stop trying to keep track of.